Panda Review
Up to 10 devices supported24/7 Technical support
VPN for private surfing
Mobile scan through USB port
Reliable, affordable security solution
Pros & Cons
- Reliable ransomware protection
- Easy-to-use interface
- Affordable pricing with discounts on the annual subscription
- Compatible with major platforms
- VPN usage is limited
- Parental control filters may block legitimate/decent websites too
Plans & Pricing
Prices for Panda Dome security products depend on the plan you choose, and the number of devices you add. Your plan can include 1 to 10 devices. The features offered also vary by plan, with upper-tier plans offering more advanced security features.
Panda Security offers a 30-day free trial for Panda Dome and a free version of the antivirus, Panda Dome Free. However, it’s only compatible with Windows and Android.
While essentially a monthly subscription, you can save money by purchasing the annual plan.
Here are the plans and what they include:
- Panda Dome Essential: The entry-level plan starts at $3.99 per month and offers a Firewall, VPN (150 MB per day), WiFi protection, and an Email Checker.
- Panda Dome Advanced: This tier starts at $4.99 per month and includes parental control features, ransomware protection, and all the Essential plan features.
- Panda Dome Complete: This plan begins at $7.99 per month and offers a password manager and cleanup tool in addition to all the Advanced tier features.
- Panda Dome Premium: This is the uppermost tier, starting at $12.99 per month, and it offers advanced features such as a dark web monitor and 24/7 technical support.
Overview
Panda Security provides end-user cybersecurity solutions, including antivirus, virtual private network (VPN), cleaners, and other products. Founded in 1990, it’s based in Spain as a brand under WatchGuard, a network security company based in Seattle, WA.
The company has been making internet security products for decades and has always leveraged advanced technologies to protect users. Their flagship product is Panda Dome, a comprehensive, award-winning anti-virus solution with Firewall, VPN, and many other features, depending on the plan tier.
It’s a completely cloud-based security solution known for its proactive approach to threats. The solution is compatible with Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android platforms. With over 600 million users, it’s available in virtually every country.
Features
Here are the key features of Panda Dome:
Firewall
A firewall is a standard feature across all Panda Dome plans. It filters traffic coming to your device and is the first line of defense from Internet threats. All the data coming to and from the device goes through this firewall.
While configured by default, you can set filters to block certain types of traffic. The firewall can also limit the application’s use of the Internet. All firewall-monitored activities and events are logged.
Anti-Ransomware
Panda Dome’s anti-ransomware tool uses the latest technology to detect and stop ransomware attackers from accessing and encrypting your files. It uses access controls and monitors behavior to detect any anomalies on your device.
Panda Dome goes beyond traditional security software by preventing file encryption and using a unique approach to detect ransomware. It creates decoy copies of sensitive files as bait to lure and detect ransomware attacks. It can also create shadow copies of important files, though only on Windows.
This feature isn’t available with the Essential plan.
VPN
All Panda Dome plans come with a VPN, which allows you to search the web anonymously. This can be useful for accessing websites or content unavailable in your location. Unfortunately, the VPN use is limited (only 150 MB per day). For unlimited use, you’ll need to buy Panda VPN Premium or another VPN product.
Safe Browsing
The phishing-proof safe browsing feature automatically blocks suspicious websites that may be trying to dupe the user. It does so by scanning the website and checking databases for blacklisted websites known for phishing. This database is updated regularly as new phishing websites are detected.
Ease of use
Panda Dome security software is fairly easy to use. Its intuitive, nature-themed user interface is a breeze to navigate, so there’s not much of a learning curve, whether you’re using it on a computer or mobile device.
All the features available according to your plan are presented on the application’s home screen as buttons.
The installation process is also quick and easy. Once you’ve selected your plan from the website and paid for the subscription, you can install the application on your device. If you’ve bought it for multiple devices, simply install the application on other devices and log in with your account.
Customer support
Panda has almost all avenues of support you could ask for. First, they have a phone support system where you can call to get help. There are numbers for standard and premium phone support.
They also have a live chat system that gets you connected to an agent quickly. You can also email them for technical support, and they promise to reply emails in less than 24 hours.
You however don’t have to contact them every time as there are very comprehensive FAQs, guides, and tutorials to help you sort out common issues. These are arranged according to products to make the process easy. For more information, you can also visit the community forum as well as their blog.
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24/7 Help & Support
There is 24/7 technical support for premium customers -
Phone Support
Local or regional numbers are available to seek support on call -
Live Online Chat
The live chat feature is accessible 24/7 -
Email
Prospective and current customers can email their queries and issues to the team -
Video Tutorials
There are video tutorials of product guides -
FAQ
An extensive collection of FAQs by product, features, and issues helps users find the answers to their questions -
Community Forum
There is an active forum with updated posts. -
Blog
Panda Security runs a blog. The blog posts are mostly about the latest news in cybersecurity.
The Final Word
Panda Dome is a well-rounded security solution for personal devices. Its prices are comparable to other popular antivirus and antimalware solutions, such as Bitdefender. It gets cheaper if you subscribe for a year or more.
The features offered vary by the plan; to take advantage of all the features, you’d have to subscribe to the premium plan. The Advanced Plan is a suitable choice if you need basic protection. The entry-level plan, although decent, doesn’t include ransomware protection, which is among the product’s highlights.
A few things can be improved, such as offering VPNs with security plans and customer service. All in all, it’s a reliable end-device security solution.
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Hi, I have two computers. Can I can install the package on both computers? I’m looking to install a good antivirus for personal use. Rosario